What is evaporative cooling?

Evaporative cooling is a millennia-old method of producing clean, cool air by taking advantage of the natural process of evaporation.

Ancient civilisations, such as Egypt and China, would fan air over water containers, or hang wet reeds in front of doors and windows to produce a natural cooling breeze. Hundreds of years later, Leonardo da Vinci experimented with a fan-driven evaporative cooler.

The premise of evaporative cooling is nothing new. However, with modern technology and understanding, we can harness this process more efficiently and optimally than ever before.

In this article, we discuss how evaporative coolers work, and explore the exceptional benefits these provide when compared with air-conditioners.

How does evaporative cooling work?

Evaporative cooling removes heat from the air with nothing more than the natural process of evaporation.

To do this, warm air is forced through damp cooling pads within these air coolers. As they come into contact, water evaporates along with some of the heat energy. This process produces a cooling effect that lowers the surrounding air temperature.

What are evaporative coolers?

Modern evaporative coolers leverage this core principle to create a constant flow of natural, fresh, cool air indoors. This helps keep the climate at a comfortable, controlled level for all occupants, requiring only water and electricity to do so.

The benefits of evaporative cooling

The standout advantage of evaporative cooling is its exceptional efficiency. These units consume up to 90% less energy when compared with a traditional air-conditioning unit – a remarkable drop.

This translates into real, meaningful savings for your efforts to keep your facilities cool, especially with the cost of energy soaring across Europe and much of the world.

But this is not the only advantage. Evaporative coolers are the optimal choice for controlling conditions for several other reasons, including:

Environmentally friendly operation

As well as being exceptionally effective and economical, this technology works to minimise the carbon footprint of day-to-day operations, as the only byproduct of cooling is water vapour.

With future sustainable policies on the horizon, such as the European Green Deal, evaporative coolers are an environmentally friendly technology well suited for the future, especially against air-conditioners powered by refrigerant gases.

Improved performance in hotter temperatures

On the hottest days of the year, when the need for cool air is at its greatest, the performance of evaporative coolers rises. This differs from A/C, where performance remains unchanged regardless of outdoor temperatures.

As a result, evaporative technology helps maximise comfort and minimise overheads, maintaining ideal conditions in the most challenging conditions.

Efficient humidity control

Evaporative coolers do not just efficiently and economically control indoor temperatures. By adding moisture to the cool air circulated inside, they can also help keep humidity at a comfortable level for occupants and materials.

What may have traditionally taken multiple different devices working in tandem can now be achieved through one solution. This reduces overhead costs, boosts long-term savings and simplifies climate control setups.

Versatile application

Evaporative coolers can also effectively control temperatures in large spaces, regardless of whether doors, windows or bays are open or closed. This differs from air-con, which is built for smaller, more enclosed spaces.

For environments such as aircraft hangars and warehouses, where frequently open doors are critical to day-to-day operation, evaporative technology is ideal.

Does evaporative cooling kill airborne viruses?

In addition to temperature and humidity, evaporative coolers can improve indoor air quality. This is particularly beneficial in spaces where unwanted bacteria or harmful fumes build up over time.

To improve the health of indoor atmospheres, cooled, pre-filtered air is brought in from outside and circulated, forcing the stale air out. Over time, the concentration of unpleasant airborne contaminants plummets and air quality rises.

Where many air-conditioning units only recirculate the same stale air in a space, this is a far more health-conscious approach to protect the wellbeing of a building’s occupants.

Why is evaporative cooling preferred over air conditioning units?

Although air-conditioning units offer precise temperature control, evaporative cooling is often the preferred technology of choice. This is because:

• These coolers are several times more energy-efficient than conventional A/C, often making them the most economical and ecological option

• Air quality is renewed as evaporative coolers operate, unlike air-con which can only recycle stale air

• Evaporation is a natural process which emits only water vapour. A/C, on the other hand, relies on environmentally damaging CFC gases

• Evaporative technology is simple and easy to install and maintain, unlike air-con’s more complex designs

• Evaporative coolers regulate moisture levels, whereas air-conditioners actively dry out air over time

• Whether windows or doors are open, evaporative systems can operate effectively. Comparatively, A/C can only function when spaces are totally enclosed

For a more in-depth look at how evaporative cooling differs from air-conditioning, read our article.

Where can evaporative cooling be used?

As discussed, the evaporative cooling process is highly adaptable and versatile. Its low energy consumption and limited environmental impact make it a sustainable alternative to traditional air-conditioning systems for many industries, including:

• Pharmaceutical warehouses

• Schools

• Vehicle manufacturing plants

• Offices

• Textile factories

• Multiple commercial settings

The difference between fixed and portable units

Different types of commercial evaporative cooling systems are optimally suited to individual applications.

What are fixed coolers?

Fixed evaporative coolers, such as the BIO 18AIV, are large systems designed to handle high airflow rates, making them ideal for controlling temperature, humidity and air quality in spacious facilities.

Benefits of fixed coolers

• These higher capacity units are ideal for cooling large spaces

• Fixed coolers renew air quality inside with fresh air

• Multiple static systems can be monitored and controlled together

What are portable coolers?

Smaller, portable units can be moved from room to room. Only able to draw in and cool inside air, devices such as the Wind Force 10 can be used to spot cool especially hot areas inside, or create dedicated cool zones for workers to rest in.

Benefits of portable coolers

• The smaller, portable size allows devices to be deployed flexibly

• Units can direct cool air efficiently to a specific area or room

• This technology is able to generate the greatest energy efficiency

Why would an evaporative cooler blow warm air?

These devices can deliver exceptional cooling performance in spaces small, large, open and closed. However, they are not without their shortcomings.

Because these systems rely on outside conditions to create a cooling effect, inside temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day. For environments that demand total precision, such as pharmaceutical manufacture, this can be a problem.

Furthermore, while our commercial evaporative cooling systems at Dantherm Group are developed to work well in high-humidity environments, less capable coolers may struggle during cold, humid days, and blow out warm air.

Choose the ideal evaporative cooling unit for your needs

Evaporative coolers are a highly efficient, economical and effective way of regulating temperatures in a variety of settings, including commercial buildings and industrial facilities.

However, not all coolers will generate the most effective results and maximise your long-term savings.

As well as selecting a well-specified unit, you should also look to buy from a trusted manufacturer for the best results.

With more than six decades of experience in climate control, Dantherm Group has a broad range of cooling systems suited to every scenario. We’re also home to hundreds of experts that can advise you through our full range of coolers and ensure you receive the most suitable solution.

The combination of our efficient, sustainable and built-to-last products, and our support network of advice, spares and technicians make us the manufacturer and supplier of choice for climate control projects all over the world.

Discover our complete range of evaporative coolers today. For more information, get in touch with our team by completing the form below.